To our professional readers, investors and those Cavco Industries (CVCO) pursuing plaintiff’s attorneys. Ponder this question. MHI purportedly postures action, but where is the evidence of their results?

Read this local media report first, then read the article which outlines some of the motivations that sparked the dramatic reversal of the city officials. That tells a tale that should remind manufactured home industry pros a similar reveal to what occurred in Washington, IN last year. The city officials are quoted on-the-record in the linked article above.

If MHProNews’ publisher – in concert with aligned nonprofits – could accomplish a dramatic reversal in two days of mostly electronic communications, why can’t MHI routinely do the same?

MHProNews looks at the facts, considers the sources, and follows the evidence. Earlier last year, and for years before, MHI routinely replied promptly to all of our inquiries. But since we’ve spotlighted various problems and concerns, they’ve gone silent. Why? If the facts are on their side, why not make offer a cogent explanation?

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Reminder. A “mantra” is a refrain, a chant, a repetition of some important point. The reminder of the need for a mantra is ever-timely for manufactured housing professionals who understand the value of grasping reality globally, but then Acting Robustly Locally.

In a new release to the Daily Business News on MHProNews, “S&P Dow Jones Indices today released the latest results for the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices, the leading measure of U.S. home prices. Data released today for September 2018 shows that the rate of home price increases across the U.S. slowed for the second month in a row. More than 27 years of history for these data series is available,” they said.

YEAR-OVER-YEAR

“The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index, covering all nine U.S. census divisions, reported a 5.5% annual gain in September, down from 5.7% in the previous month. The 10- City Composite annual increase came in at 4.8%, down from 5.2% in the previous month. The 20-City Composite posted a 5.1% year-over-year gain, down from 5.5% in the previous month,” per their release.

“Las Vegas, San Francisco and Seattle reported the highest year-over-year gains among the [top tracked] 20 cities. In September, Las Vegas led the way with a 13.5% year-over-year price increase, followed by San Francisco with a 9.9% increase and Seattle with an 8.4% increase. Four of the 20 cities reported greater price increases in the year ending September 2018 versus the year ending August 2018,” according to their statement to MHProNews.

MHProNews has for some years provided a mix of factory-built housing, as well as broader housing data. There is no other trade media in our industry’s history that provides a broader or deeper mix of such data for the industry’s professionals.

Per our readers, it is part of why industry readers flock by the thousands daily, which given our industry’s avoidably modest size, arguably reflects the deepest penetration of readers in all of manufactured housing.

As 2018 winds to its close – and MHVille industry owners, leaders, and professionals are planning for 2019 – the mantra for realistic-yet-big thinkers should be this. Housing data tells us that manufactured housing could be selling hundreds of thousands of new homes annually. Instead, under the claimed leadership of Arlington, Knoxville and Omaha – manufactured homes will close out 2018 with about 100,000 (+/-) shipments.

Gus’ message came in response to a series of exposes on issues within manufactured housing, as well as our news tips, strategies and profit making opportunities.

Legacy clearly believes in the future of the business, because they are raising capital to expand their retail base.

How do the self-proclaimed leaders in MHVille, the Wizards of All Things MH, explain the difference between the industry’s potential, vs. its actual performance?

To learn more, see the related reports, linked below.

The industry can achieve 500,000 to 1,000,000 + new HUD Code manufactured homes sustainably, given the current new housing demands. That’s a 5x to 10x increase. That should be the achievable goal of every independent industry professional.

The working conditions for women at the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) has been an issue since at least 2014, per association sources.

When multiple women at MHI stepped up and contacted MHProNews with their concerns, it was clearly an issue that needed to be addressed here on the Daily Business News.

In the #MeToo movement era, the question has been asked, is what has been taking place at MHI with regards to the steady stream of women who come and go a case of inappropriate sexual advances?

“I would not call it inappropriate sexual behavior,” said one woman there. Rather, “It has been personality conflicts in the office.” She described it as a difference in “leadership styles” than she had previously experienced in other jobs.

Another female MHI vice president made similar comments about Jennison and women.

“I’ve never been in [that]kind of environment,” before working at MHI. She explained that it was doubtlessly a factor for what has been described as a “revolving door” of employees at the Arlington offices. See the related reports, after the byline on this report.

There was agreement that turnover at MHI is at higher than normal levels. The working environment was commonly cited, as one put it, because the “manufactured home industry” itself “is interesting.” By comparison to MHI, several state associations or MHARR has far more staff stability.

A woman said she didn’t have much interaction with Gay Westbrook, other than at meeting. She admitted Westbrook could be an exception to the rule of women having difficulties purportedly having difficulties working with Jennison. But she also pointed out that Westbrook worked remotely.

One woman described MHI’s Jennison as “Very vindictive.” She explained that he was good at masking it around others, for example during meetings with members. But in her view, it is “Part of his [Jennison’s] personality.”

A staffer told MHProNews that there were two “control freaks” at the office at MHI. When asked about those two, she identified them as Jennison and Lesli Gooch, Ph.D. Gooch is their senior vice president (SVP), who the MHI website says handles their “legislative issues.”

Gooch made mainstream news when the Washington Post reported her saying that MHI had not asked for the removal of Pam Danner at HUD. By contrast, WaPo reported that Mark Weiss, J.D., President and CEO of the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) had pushed for precisely for Danner’s removal over the HUD Code Office of Manufactured Housing Programs (OMHP).

WaPo made it clear that Weiss and MHARR were ultimately successful in that effort.

There are several former or current staffers that MHProNews has not yet had replies from on the issue of inner office “theatrics” and unnecessary “drama.” So it is possible that more comments relating to #MeToo concerns, or other issues may surface. ICYMI, readers are reminded of a prior insider report, linked below, which has had thousands of hits in a matter of days.

But as more than one source connected with MHI has said, and the Daily Business News has previously reported, the number of reports may be due in part because of MHI’s use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with their staffers.

So, at this point in time, the common refrain from MHI is summed up describing Jennison as using “bullying” and other intimidation tactics, not #MeToo connected concerns.

To report a news tip, click the image above or send an email to iReportMHNewsTips@mhmsm.com – To help us spot your message in our volume of email, please put the words NEWS TIP in the subject line.

Unrelated to Women…

Another issue raised was about Rick Robinson, MHI’s General Counsel. He was likewise being described by insiders as hobbled. Among the common themes alleged from varied sources was that staff had to “get permission” to do “whatever” from Jennison and/or Gooch.

Robinson was asked about such concerns, and declined to comment.

Part of the concerns from insiders extended to Robinson’s limited ability to engage on zoning related problems, as it commonly impacts manufactured housing. A letter by Robinson to HUD on Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH), is not the same as actual action, as one professional explained it.

That’s an important issue for the industry.

Because MHProNews specifically asked MHI’s leadership about a specific and troubling case of alleged discrimination in Indiana. MHI failed to reply, and per sources, they never contacted that city prior to the date of that report.

“Oh my God I’m going to be killed,” Rolfe told Mark Ferguson for an investor podcast, adding “because my only experience with mobile home parks was with what I saw on TV like the movie Pink Flamingos and Griffin of course, by the things in the past, it looked kind of scary. So I thought, “Oh man I’ve got to go get a concealed handgun license.””

If that makes some industry purists cringe, he went onto say the following in that podcast.

“So I went down and I did that, I bought myself a nice pistol and loaded it up and put it in my pocket and showed up at the park and I soon learned that most of my stereotypes were completely wrong at the park. One thing that it was not and that was scary, I think I don’t know why I was so obsessed with the idea that I had my personal safety an issue, but that was definitely not the case.

So pretty soon after I got in there, I learned most all of the ideas I had of the industry were stupid. I started morphing into where I am today. So I no longer carry a gun. I no longer are terrified to go into a park. Basically, a mobile home park is just like any old subdivision. It’s just the homes are much smaller and the people typically are lower income earning but to me, it’s a much more safe environment than for example an apartment complex.”

Rolfe on Why “Parks” Are Rising Value?

Limited numbers, with almost no more being added is the answer. Here’s how Rolfe explained it to Ferguson.

“So by far the majority of the parks we own were built in the 60’s and there were still a lot built in the 70’s and pretty much ended by the 80’s and by the 80’s what happened is that most cities passed laws that you could no longer build mobile home parks in their city and in fact today, you pretty much cannot build a mobile home park in any city in the United States. There are only about 10 parks in the entire United States built per year. So the window pretty much closed in the 80’s.”

Rolfe on “Mobile Home” Durability

“It’s a common misconception that these homes are — that they wear out, that they have a shelf life like a car. The industry kind of did that to itself because it used to be like a car. In fact, many mobile home sellers, dealers used to be car dealers. So they would tell people, “Oh you have to trade that in after so many years.” That’s bunk. What is a mobile home? A mobile home is just like your house; it’s two by four’s, it’s metal, it’s resins, it’s plastic and then it’s sheathed in metal, it’s not going to die. There are no moving parts in it, it’s not like an engine on a car. So they really never wear out.”

Rolfe has told MHProNews that he is wont at times to exaggerate while making a point. So, he’s not saying in the above that there’s no maintenance. He knows that roofs need care or replacement, along with other components like AC, heat, or appliances.

Rolfe On What Can’t Be Fixed

“Real estate is about location. Lots of things, you can’t fix, you can’t change location. You can’t go out and take your property in the bad location and make it a winner because of the bad location. It’s very critical, in real estate you buy it right on the front end because you can’t fix it, you just can’t. No matter how good a manager you are, if the property has — if the lots are too small, if the water sewer is failing, location’s terrible, you can’t make it any better,” he told Ferguson.

Frank Rolfe ‘teaching’ on often controversial industry issues. Still from one of two videos posted on this page from that address by Rolfe to dozens of industry professionals.

Rolfe About Teaching

“Then when I got out of Stanford I kept on teaching public speaking at SMU in Dallas for 30 years approximately. So Dave did the same thing on accounting out there in Colorado so we’ve always loved teaching. Teaching is fun, if you do something, it’s always fun talking about it and showing people how you do it but that’s what our education stuff is about, it’s basically, it’s about honesty and factual — it’s just a different deal and I think people respond well to it because they can tell that it’s no BS and that we really enjoy doing it.”

Rolfe on Action and Thought

“There’s the old saying, “Think like a man of action and act like a man of thought.” Thinking and learning and not taking action that never works. But equally as dangerous as taking action without knowing what you’re doing.”

Rolfe, like Warren Buffett is a reader, as well as a doer.

“If you’re going to do something, learn — learn, learn. Read the instruction manual, that’s how you save yourself from bad endings. Benjamin Franklin who never owned a mobile home park, but back in the 1700’s wrote that due diligence is the mother of good luck.”

Rolfe on Cities and “Trailer Parks”

Rolfe argues that it is not stigma alone that keeps cities and towns from allowing more of them. “A lot of people think, “Oh well, it’s because cities hate trailer parks and trailer park people.” I mean sure, they are not excited about it, right? Any city would rather have a big mansion neighborhood than a trailer park.” He went on to say that the taxes are higher with more expensive housing than with older mobile homes or manufactured homes.

Those are not meant by Rolfe to all be value judgements. Rather, they are matter-of-fact (to him) observations. Again, he has been known to speak his mind in often colorful ways, no doubt in part to entertain and attract an audience. As with anyone, quoting Rolfe isn’t meant to imply that every thing he says or does is being endorsed. MHProNews takes a ‘wheat and chaff’ approach, and is happy to source information from across a spectrum of people, opinions, and views. One key is being accurate in fair in citing sources and sharing quotes.

Is the quote accurate and being used in an accurate application or context? Then, have at it.

By the way, here’s Rolfe explaining terminology, in his own words.

Footnote 1: Some land-lease communities truly are ‘mobile home parks,’ in the sense that they were built during the mobile home era (pre-June 15, 1976), and have mostly mobile homes in them.

Footnote 2: Role would likely admit if pressed that trailers and mobile homes are different. There are RV ‘trailer parks,’ that’s their given name. But manufactured homes are not trailers, and they are not mobile homes. Manufactured homes and manufactured housing are legal phrases, applied to housing built to preemptive federal standards.

When it comes to Frank Rolfe’s willingness to weigh in on controversial topics, what once was, is now noticeably toned down.

1) Rolfe – who today, with his associates is the number 5 manufactured home community operation in the U.S. – has previously blasted MHI for controversial positions.

2) One example is Rolfe leveling Nathan Smith, MHI’s former Chairman, for what Rolfe said is the terrible publicity Smith has brought to the industry. See more on Smith, MHI and other related references which are linked at the end of this report.

3) Rolfe blasted MHI’s mindless pursuit of the Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act, which he correctly said ‘had no chance’ of passage during the Obama Administration.

4) Rolfe repeatedly blasted MHI for failure to engage the media, on positive or negative news topics that impacted the industry.

On bullet #4 above, here is Rolfe in his own words.

MHI is currently spotlighting 5 operations in their videos, which in some ways is arguably a disadvantage to other MHI members. It is also worth noting that those 5 videos are not getting many views.

So, there were plenty of people in MHVille that followed such comments, here on MHProNews, or on other venues when Rolfe shared such talking points.

It is obvious that Rolfe his own controversial stances. Let’s turn to some more…

Rolfe On Politics

Click here or on the graphic above to learn more, which is not connected to this report.

One of the controversies that’s gone underreported in manufactured housing trades – until now – is his pre-2016 election day stance on Hillary Clinton. Clinton was the Warren Buffet led Berkshire Hathaway pick for president in 2016.

Rolfe thought Hillary would win. On that topic, MHProNews was correct in projecting and informing the industry of the path for the victory of Donald J. Trump in 2016. While our styles are different, we too believe in education and information – all with a purpose. That purpose is going more business, and serving more home owners well.

Back to Rolfe and 2016.

With former President Bill Clinton along with his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, are hitting the speaking tour in the coming weeks. Mainstream media outlets are doing past and present ‘compare and contrasts’ reports. So, why not do so here on the Daily Business News on MHProNews too? Why not do it through the lens of Rolfe’s comments and related?

Frank Rolfe on Hillary Clinton

In the days just before the 2016 election day vote, and here’s what Rolfe said on NuWire Investor.

“The U.S. Presidential Election is in only about a week. But the stats are showing that Hillary will probably win at this point – it would take a miracle to change the outcome. So if Hillary is the next President, what does that mean for real estate investors across the nation?”

He made an interesting statement on interest rates under President Obama, which technically is controlled by the Federal Reserve, which is supposed to be independent of the White House. Let’s set that aside, and look at other extended pull-quotes by Rolfe to NuWire.

“Keeping banks happy

One of the key issues that came up during the election was the apparent tight relationship between Hillary and big banks. They paid her millions of dollars in “speaking fees”, and the contents of her speeches (while only released by Wikileaks) would suggest that she intends to keep things status quo regarding banking policy. Since real estate is typically using leverage of 80%, a strong banking industry is imperative to keeping real estate prices healthy.

Keeping the economy weak

Following the U.S. Great Recession of 2008, we have entered into an era of extremely weak economic growth and employment. It would take a bold plan to exit this rut, and Clinton is unlikely to foster that. Her focus on higher taxes and more subsidies would suggest that the U.S. will remain just as it is for four more years. And that’s good for real estate, as this stable market allows investors to make safe decisions and obtain attractive loans.

Stabilizing immigration

Many sectors of real estate – particularly multi-family and mobile home parks – have a strong focus on Hispanic customers in many states, and removing the threat of immigration enforcement will make many owners breathe a sigh of relief. This issue has already pretty much gone away, but Clinton will probably finalize it during her administration.

Causing problems with capital gains tax

This is one huge downside to the Clinton presidency: anticipated higher capital gains taxes. This means that you might spend more or your profits in taxes to the IRS in the years ahead. Clearly, this is not a plus. However, it will still be difficult to get such legislation passed through Congress, so the key issue is whether or not the Democrats take control of Congress in this election. Our bet is that the issue will be muted and, if it does go forward, the effect will be gradual rather than overnight.”

No mere mortal one gets it right 100 percent of the time. Rolfe’s analysis has a mix of correct and incorrect observations. You can read the entire Rolfe statement as a download at this link above. Rolfe’s full commentary is found at the download, linked here.

Why Does This Rolfe Topic Matter to MHVille Now?

It’s complicated, but simple.

Follow the Money.

And follow how politics has evolved into a purported shell game for mega billionaires like Warren Buffett.

Because the mega rich, along with others, are arguably willing to manipulate markets – or allow inaction to harm the interests of tens of millions – while a few benefit at their expense.

Sources to MHProNews:

with Berkshire ties,

evidence of marketing and other benefits to Rolfe and his colleagues, from Berkshire’s manufactured housing brands

along with the evidence of Rolfe going silent about public criticism of MHI,

or holding a lower profile on other issues that Berkshire cares about –

all suggests an effort at influencing the narrative in the industry.

It isn’t limited to Rolfe.

That narrative to MHVille matters deeply to Berkshire brands like:

21st Mortgage,

Clayton Homes,

VanderbiltMortgage and Finance – which has begun lending on communities

suppliers like Shaw Carpeting,

– and others who broker communities or provide other products and services. Politics, media, nonprofits – these are demonstrable tools used by Berkshire Hathaway, as Kevin Clayton has explained in a video linked from related reports, further below.

He made that point very specifically with respect to Soros, citing a source that claims that the Center for Public Integrity – which played a role in the ongoing Seattle Times controversies surrounding Clayton Homes and Berkshire lending in the manufactured housing industry.

What Rolfe doesn’t say is that billionaires like Soros and Buffett can take some negative media, help fund the creation of some of that media themselves, and can still benefit. They can benefit to the tune of billions in revenue annually.

Negative media tends to impact others in manufactured housing, not just the target of a report. That is the contention of others in the manufactured housing industry, as messages via social media, email, text or by phone to MHProNews has contended.

There are a variety of bullets that purportedly impact manufactured housing in ways that keeps our industry from recovering to its more higher production ‘glory days.’

There are reasons to believe that those controversies impacting manufactured housing will continue. At least that is the logic – which Rolfe believes in – of the matter, until the motivation to stop the kinds of behavior that causes controversy remain largely unabated.

“You are entitled to your own opinion, but youarenot entitled to your own facts.”

– Daniel Patrick Moynihan, per Wikipedia.

Erlanger, KY is across the Ohio River and near Cincinnati, Ohio. Fort Mitchell, KY is nearby too. So, it is no surprise when a successful business professional and highly-visibly Democratic supporter was covered in a profile by Cincinnati, which said as follows.

“After Nathan Smith was born, his parents brought him to a single-wide mobile home perched on the side of a mountain in southeastern Kentucky.”

If you check the dates, that dwelling would indeed have been a true pre-HUD Code mobile home.

Here is an extended quote from that same source. The brown text for direct quotes are added by MHProNews.

Smith has since leveraged his success in business to become one of the most effective and influential Democratic fundraisers in Kentucky.

“For the last 10 or 12 years, Nathan has probably been the most energetic and committed political and financial backer of Democrats from Northern Kentucky,” Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway said. “He is an indefatigable supporter of Democrats.”

Conway, also a Democrat, recalls campaigning in southeastern Kentucky when he heard he needed to meet Smith’s parents in Bimble, a small community outside of Barbourville.

“The next thing I knew, the car was pulling up a little road alongside a junkyard on the side of a hill,” Conway said. “I asked for Nathan’s father and a guy spit out his tobacco and said, ‘You found him.’ ”

Smith has never forgotten the values he learned during his humble upbringing, Conway said.

“Nathan has a big heart,” Conway said. “If he is supporting you, he doesn’t just write you a check. He wants to get his friends behind you. He is one of the best in state at gathering support for you.”

Cincinnati is part of the USA Today group of media publications. You can see below where they stand in the left-right media chart.

As Sharyl Attkisson’s media bias infographic above reflects, USA Today leans left, or put differently, they are more pro-Democratic than Republican (GOP). You can finish their article on Smith, at this link here.

Why This Nathan Smith Profile Now?

There are several reasons to bring up SSK’s Nathan Smith at this time. One is because he remains a mover and shaker at the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI). Smith, MHI and MHI PAC are all busily trying to help shape the 2018 midterms.

Click here or the above to learn more, which is not connected to this report.

Smith has considerable ties to Warren Buffett led Berkshire Hathaway owned Clayton Homes, and 21st Mortgage Corp. See more in the related reports, linked further below.

As or more revealing, Smith has ties to former President Barack Obama, Secretary Hillary Clinton, and is an active, long-time Democratic supporter. Various key U.S. Senate, gubernatorial, and other races will be influenced by Smith’s campaign support.

Smith’s support has included, but is not limited to, Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Joe Donnelly (D-IN). According to federal filings, both Brown and Donnelly have reportedly received MHI PAC funds.

SSK’s leader is quoted by MHI as saying, “The Manufactured Housing Institute Political Action Committee (MHI-PAC) is the only federally-registered PAC dedicated to supporting bipartisan federal candidates who support manufactured and modular housing as an essential homeownership option. MHI-PAC allows MHI members from every segment of the industry to pool permissible, voluntary personal financial contributions to support federal candidates for the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives. Thank you to all MHI-PAC contributors who are advancing our industry’s dedication to providing affordable, quality homes and financing to all families.”

— Nathan Smith, Chairman of the MHI-PAC and Partner at SSK Communities

That’s an interesting commentary by Smith. Weren’t Democrats the party that passed Dodd-Frank, that throttled manufactured housing lending for years? Didn’t Democrats pass ObamaCare, which laid heavy burdens on small businesses, and kept millions of workers from having a single, fulltime, living-wage jobs?

How can MHI staff or the MHI Executive Committee board members look their members in the face, and still claim that they’ve worked to advance the interests of small businesses, or manufactured home industry lending?

Isn’t there ample evidence that the opposite is true? Recall the comment linked below from former MHI VP Jason Boehlert, who admitted in writing that with Barack Obama in the White House, the CFPB wouldn’t change their rules or regulations on industry lending?

Aren’t the disconnects between what MHI – and what some of their leaders, like Nathan Smith – say and do in stark contrast to what they posture and proclaim in their messages and meetings?

In fact, then President Obama threatened to veto MHI’s Preserving Access, had it passed. These are among the reasons that facts, evidence and history all matter.

Donald Trump, Jr., son of President Donald J. Trump wrote a recent op-ed for Salem News where he named Senator Brown as an opponent to his father’s agenda. Instead, Trump Jr. said those who want to Make America Great Again (MAGA) should support, “…Congressman Jim Renacci is[a pro-Trump MAGA backer] — which is why my father endorsed his candidacy for senator. Unlike Brown, Renacci is a successful businessman who knows what it takes to continue the momentum of the Trump agenda.”

According to federal records, MHI’s PAC has cut checks to members of both parties. Among them is Joe Donnelly (D-IN), who President of the United States (POTUS) Donald J. Trump is actively campaigning against.

In the tight battle for the U.S. Senate, several checks have been cut by MHI PAC to key Democrats.

Among them is Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), who as MHProNews has reminded industry pros, was Secretary Hillary Clinton’s Democratic running mate for president against Donald J. Trump in 2016. See the photo collage, further above.

Nathan Smith is colorful, affable, and popular. He has given to members of both major parties. But his loyalty is to Democrats. He leads the MHI PAC. He and MHI are in key races arguably working against the interests of small- to midsize-businesses, which are being “consolidated” by Berkshire’s brands, and other ‘big boy’ people just like himself.

The short video in that screen capture above is the one that follows. It’s must viewing for anyone that wants to understand what is actually going on in the foreground and background of the manufactured housing industry’s politics and business climate. Note that in the video, Smith candidly admits MHIs numerous mistakes.

﻿

But what Smith said must be seen through the lens of these twin adages.

It should be noted that the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) has no PAC, but they do engage in a nonpartisan manner. They are on record as supporting the Trump agenda of regulatory roll backs.

Meanwhile, MHI has postured and pivoted on a variety of issues, but they’ve in fact followed the lead of Buffett’s Berkshire brands in manufactured housing.

Banner ad above is not connected with the story that it is posted in, for more details, see this link here or click the banner.

Nathan Smith, Part One of a Series – Part II Promises Explosive Insights

Nathan Smith led SSK Communities offices are at 467 Erlanger Road, Suite 200 Erlanger, KY 41018-1495. This report is part one of what is planned as a multi-part series here on the Daily Business News on MHProNews.

“People who have a vested interest are feeding the journalist confirmatory material all along the line.” – Warren Buffett, quoted in Medium.

“We can afford to lose money — even a lot of money. But we can’t afford to lose reputation — even a shred of reputation…We must continue to measure every act against not only what is legal but also what we would be happy to have written about on the front page of a national newspaper in an article written by an unfriendly but intelligent reporter.”- Warren Buffett, quoted in Business Insider.

Controlling the narrative is something Warren Buffett and every serious political or business operative in America wants to do whenever possible.

One only has to look at how much Buffett speaks to the media, and owns or influences media via the giant conglomerate he leads, named Berkshire Hathaway.

The battle over controlling the narrative about manufactured housing is something that has been occurring inside and outside of the MH industry for decades.

But arguably no one before Berkshire Chairman Buffett, or Vice-Chair Charlie Munger, have had the depth of media connections, ownership, savvy, and influence they do.

Flashback to the late Howard Walker

Equity LifeStyle Properties (ELS) Vice-Chair, and then Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) Executive Committee Treasurer, Howard Walker was previously reported by the Daily Business News on MHProNews to have encouraged MHI President and CEO Richard ‘Dick’ Jennison as follows.

Nathan Smith was then MHI chairman at the time of this message from ELS Vice-Chairman, and MHI Treasurer, Howard Walker. Richard ‘Dick’ Jennison was and is the President and CEO of the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI). L. A. ‘Tony’ Kovach is the publisher and co-founder of MHProNews.com and MHLivingNews.com.

What until now has largely unknown by the bulk of the industry is this message from Jennison to MHProNews publisher, L.A. ‘Tony’ Kovach. That was later followed up with the NDA from MHI general counsel, Rick Robinson, JD.

MHProNews could produce other such messages, which MHI would have too. So it is unlikely that they will deny the obvious, namely, that they wanted to buy MHProNews. Isn’t the logic of that they wanted to control or own the MH Industry’s most popular trade media?

NDA’s and MHI

Note that both Walker and Berkshire brand MH lender 21st Mortgage Corp President and CEO Tim Williams both praised MHProNews before and after that spring of 2014 time frame.

Jennison said he wanted MHI to buy MHProNews.

Walker, himself an attorney, participated in a discussion that advocated a formal, transparent relationship. See the image captured, above.

MHProNews’ publisher, L. A. ‘Tony’ Kovach, was covered by a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) at the time, which MHI requested by Jennison and MHI VP and General Counsel, Rick Robinson.

Due to the NDA, Kovach was unable for years to discuss this matter in any form or fashion.

Notice: the sponsor’s ad is not connected to or related with the story it is posted in. To see the sponsored content, click here.

But the Timeframe Covered by that NDA has now Passed…

Sources with MHI and past MHI VPs tell MHProNews that there’s a “wide use” of NDAs by the Arlington, VA based trade association.

NDAs are clearly a way to control people, who might otherwise communicate on an issue or topic. That in turn controls a narrative.

Kevin Clayton, President and CEO of Clayton Homes in the video and report linked below, mentions how they like to work with nonprofits. MHI is a nonprofit, one of several they work with. That statement by Clayton is an important revelation, one of several made in that nearly hour long interview video.

﻿

The Daily Business News has been reporting on how voices that span the left-right divide have said the high degree of control that American news media outlets are controlled by a handful of conglomerates.

It’s perhaps also why Martin Luther King, Jr. – who himself experienced harsh, as well as favorable media coverage, in his time – said the purpose of education is to think critically.

It’s not important at this moment why the parent company of MHProNews did not sell out to MHI. That will be explored in a future report.

To see the full on-the-record statement by Williams to MHProNews, click here.

What is important is that MHI initiated a move to buy MHProNews.

Recap

Recapping the facts in evidence: MHI, and senior people with MHI, saw the value of owning and/or controlling the most read news read by MH industry professionals.

It must be noted that before and since that time,

MHProNews continued to publish MHARR news, not just MHI news,

and that editorially, MHProNews supported MHARR on some issues, and MHI, state associations, along with numerous other sources.

And Williams himself said that we strive for balance.

That was 2015. Williams knows that more recently, MHProNews has often asked him, MHI, officials at Clayton, et al, for comments on issues related to alleged efforts to monopolize – as much as possible -both messaging to industry professionals, and consolidate industry itself. The method for that is found in the link below. They’ve not disputed the documents, some signed by Williams, nor the analysis.

Our publisher says, “There are times I ponder the quote, “Fool me once, shame on you [meaning, the person that pulled the underhanded trick]. But fool me twice, shame on me [meaning, for falling for the same trick again].”

The conversion took place on the Louisville show floor, and covered other topics. Our publisher made no direct comment on Krolewski’s question. But only a few minutes after the conversation ended, Krolewski and MHI President and CEO Jennison were seen on the show floor talking.

“It’s obvious that MHI and the powers that be associated with them want to control the narrative within the industry,” Kovach said. “They support those in MHVille bloggers and publishers – like MHVillage owned MHInsider – who will publicly support MHI, that’s what the open evidence reflects. It is equally obvious that MHVille professionals largely aren’t buying the arguable propaganda’ that MHInsider and others are putting out (see photo, taken on the final day of the Tunica show).”

“We focus on what sources with apparent knowledge tell us, we follow the money, the evidence, and use common sense. We then line up what people say, and compare it with what they in fact do,” said Kovach.” “We give MHI, the key Berkshire brands in MH, and others the opportunity to comment, clarify, deny, or whatever.”

It’s also worth noting obvious connections. Using our “wheat and chaff” methodology, we are less concerned with the source – be it left, right, or neutral – than the evidence and logic of the source. Some sources can be correct on a given topic, yet may be wildly inaccurate on others.

Click here or the above to learn more, which is not connected to this report.

Buffett’s Concerns Over Journalism

Buffett has expressed concerns over journalism and journalists, but still believes there’s value in journalism.

“The smarter the journalists are, the better off society is. For to a degree, people read the press to inform themselves – and the better the teacher, the better the student body.” – Warren Buffett, per BrainyQuote.

Buffett addresses journalists routinely, but they are often ‘friendly’ sources. He owns numerous media outlet, starting with the newspaper based in Berkshire’s capital city, Omaha. Isn’t it all a part of controlling the narrative?

Why did Buffett himself defend Clayton, their lenders, or Wells Fargo when they were under mainstream media attack? Why didn’t he defend and promote the good name of manufactured housing industry in the same fashion?

MHI’s Jennison may have supplied the answer. He said the industry needed to grow slowly. Why?

Why should MH grow slowly, when there’s an affordable housing crisis? Why should MH have fallen so far behind the RV industry? Why did RVs recover more quickly than MH?

Why did Belsky miss his predicted date? Because it came before Buffett’s entry into MH? See Smoking Gun 3.

It’s In Plain Sight

The best place to hide is often in plain sight.

But hiding in plain sight doesn’t discount the possibility that Berkshire – while allowing other forces to press on the industry through regulations, zoning, media, and other means – may have used MHI in ways that violated antitrust guidelines that MHI themselves have published. See that MHI document, linked here.

As of this date, after repeated requests to MHI and executives with various Berkshire brands operating in MHVille, readers should note that they’ve offered no alternative explanation or defense to these allegations and documented concerns.

Rather, they and their apparently rewarded surrogates do cheer leading, perhaps hoping to continue to distract the industry, even as they’ve demonstrably worked to consolidate the industry.

Now you know why an executive told the Daily Business News, “Tony, if MHProNews is writing about it, I want to know about it.”

That executive isn’t alone, as LinkedIn reports a record number of profile views of our publisher.

NOTICE: MHProNews thanks all those who reached out during the month of August to congratulate this publication for our anniversary last month, as well as to all those who asked to connect, or who sent private tips and comments.

Third-party statistics, including those by Webalizer, says our readership is up some 250% in a year. As an advertiser recently said, “Tony, I don’t think [that most] understand the power and reach of your platform[s].”

Doesn’t that sounds like the kind of compliments that Tim Williams and Howard Walker publicly shared about MHProNews and MHLivingNews, months after the events noted above?

NDA’s,

prodding,

and buying influence among MHVille industry commentaries

are among the apparent modus operandi of MHI and their ‘big boys’ that seek to profitability consolidate – at bargain/depressed rates – because the industry has been kept at historically low sales and production levels.

MHProNews looks at the facts, considers the sources, and follows the evidence. Earlier last year, and for years before, MHI routinely replied promptly to all inquiries. But since we’ve spotlighted the problems and concerns, they’ve gone silent. Why? If the facts are on their side, why not make offer a cogent explanation?

The Daily Business News on MHProNews has repeatedly noted that RVs are a “luxury” item for most, not a necessity.

By contrast, while manufactured housing are purchased by some as a vacation home, the majority of HUD Code MHs are purchased for use as a primary residence.

It must also be noted that the large percentage of manufactured homes being purchased for rentals by REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) and other manufactured home community operations arguably masks a still relatively low new home SALES level at retail.

Rephrased, if you pull rental unit statistics out of new manufactured home shipments, the industry is essentially flat since it hit bottom. That’s a statement that MHI-only-member manufacturers have confirmed.

So, the RV industry is demonstrably doing better at representing their industry – in bottom line units shipped, image, total GDP, and total performance – than the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) has, which claims to represent “all aspects of factory-built housing.”

It’s black and white. RVs are outperforming our industry by more than 5 to 1.

That may be true, but logically one must ask. How are such low performance levels possible, given the affordable housing crisis, and the quality of today’s manufactured homes?

Collage by MHProNews.

RV News?

A check of RV news on this date reveals that they get bad news stories too. Of course, the media newsroom mantra is “If it bleeds, it leads.” That said, RVs appear to have a greater proportion of positive news stories than MH does. For example, new RV park opening, positive company news that are not press releases, etc. If someone scans or reads RV news today, they likely won’t be scared off by what they see.

By contrast, as MHProNews has pointed out, the industry has a routine string of bad news stories. Yet, prior MHI Chairman Tim Williams admitted in writing that there was a good case to be made for the MH industry to respond to each and every bad news and relevant inaccuracy.

That being so, why hasn’t the MH industry demanded that MHI do what their chairman observed? Is it, fear?

While he’s gone radio-silent on public critiques of the MHI in 2018, prominent member Frank Rolfe has blasted MHI for years for “hypocrisy,” plus their failure to defend and promote the good name of the industry. He certainly isn’t alone in that, as others quoted on and off the record have said the same.

The same is true for Marty Lavin, who was honored with a lifetime achievement award by MHI. Lavin served MHI for years. Yet, he has consistently critiqued the association for their numerous apparent failures.

Why has Lavin, who served MHI for years and was awarded one of their most prestigious awards for lifetime achievement, been such a critic of their performance? Click here.

On the Masthead, our publisher – L. A. ‘Tony’ Kovach has done a careful look at our industry’s potential, as well as what’s gone wrong in MHVille since the last peak. The analysis pulls together new and prior data in a logical, fact-and-evidence based way that will be clear to researchers, newcomers, and all others.

MHProNews spotlights these issues precisely for the reason that the legendary Zig Ziglar said. In a column on “Problem Solving” provided by Ziglar’s editor to this trade journal, linked here, Zig said the following.

Maturity vs. Denial or Wishful Thinking

Whatever rationale that one wishes to apply for the reasons why MHI’s “leadership” is failing the industry, isn’t the bottom line that the facts prove that MHI is demonstrably failing?

A mature adult in his own business will normally not tolerate problematic or failed behavior for long. But what the above data of RVs growth vs. MH shrinkage reflects is that manufactured housing’s so-called leadership has demonstrably failed.

It’s black and white.

UMH President and CEO, Sam Landy has told MHProNews that every company is responsible for their own marketing. Common sense says, that’s a given. But it is one that industry pros must embrace.

But what the breakaway of two state associations – plus the steady drop out of some of their members who can leave without arguably feeling that they are under duress – is that MHI has failed to represent their interests.

If “MHI Clout” is measured by results for the many, where is MHI’s clout? Who are they selling? The industry’s members, on how great they say they are? Or are they selling the public-at-large?

If the MHVillage data is any evidence, the public hasn’t bought it.

Data per MHVillage, collage by MHProNews.

Bottom Line

What the RV industry data reflects is overall growth for their industry, and overall shrinkage for HUD Code manufactured homes.

That’s the first step of Ziglar’s problem solving reality check. The question of how did the industry get here must be understood.

(Third-party images and content are provided under fair use guidelines.)

1) To sign up in seconds for our MH Industry leading emailed news updates, click here.2) To provide a News Tips and/or Commentary, click the link to the left. Please note if comments are on-or-off the record, thank you.

A veteran Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) lender’s controversial comments to the Daily Business News are bound to shake up discussions about two hot button industry topics.

Those two subjects are:

the Duty to Serve (DTS) Manufactured Housing, mandated by Congress a decade ago, and

the Mortgage Loan Originator (MLO) Rule, established by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) during the Obama Administration, and run under Richard Cordray’s leadership for several years.

A senior lender in manufactured housing, whose company is an MHI member, said that Triad Financial Services turned over their data to the GSEs “about 5 or 6 months ago.”

The same informed source said that Credit Human, formerly known as CU Factory Built Lending, committed to turning over their data to the GSEs as well. That hand-off was reportedly more recent.

Therefore, the two Berkshire Hathaway owned lenders – 21st Mortgage Corp and Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance (VMF) – were the 2 major holdouts.

The industry’s larger chattel lenders split along ‘party lines,’ with Berkshire Hathaway not providing data to the GSEs, and non-BH lenders providing data to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.

That loan performance data, said the GSEs, was needed to responsibly implement home-only “chattel” loans.

Despite assurance from MHI to members that they were doing ‘all that can be done’ to promote the Duty to Serve, the revelation that the Berkshire Hathaway owned lenders gave no data to the GSEs undermines that contention. MHI and the Berkshire Hathaway companies have previously been invited to clarify or confirm these concerns. Doesn’t their silence speaks volumes?

The comments confirmed once more the public statement in Tunica that Fannie Mae’s Paul Barretto made earlier this week, that Berkshire Hathaway failed to provide them with any relevant data.

According to Barretto, that meant that the bulk of the data they had was from the Conseco loan pool, which dated back to the late 1990s and early 2000, and were widely known for problematic origination and thus poor loan performance.

The combination of comments by the MHI lender and Fannie Mae’s Barretto underscored key revelations that help explain a decade of delays in implementation of the Congressionally mandated Duty to Serve Manufactured Housing.

That lack of data claim was in turn was used by the GSEs to do only a relatively modest pilot program by Fannie and Freddie. Those pilot projects are to be rolled out over 3 years, in support of the most affordable permanent housing in America.

Once more, the potential for the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) to make a deal on the Mortgage Loan Originator (MLO) Rule – which some in media are mischaracterizing as “steering” – directly with the non-profit consumer groups was asserted by an MHI member lender.

Why does it matter?

First, because while the odds of passage on S 2155 are up, it is no guarantee that the manufactured housing amendment to the bill will survive a House/Senate conference committee.

As or more important, the recent reveal by the lender and Barretto both belie MHI’s official claim that they’ve been ‘doing everything possible’ to advance the cause of more lending in manufactured housing.

If Barretto’s public comment in front of dozens of industry pros, plus the MHI lender and other sources are to be believed, then what MHI claims “just ain’t so.”

As MHProNews exclusively reported, the lender noted above confirmed what other sources have already said, which is that the non-profit “consumer groups” were ready to deal on the MLO rule, so long as the points and fees that mostly Berkshire Hathaway lenders wanted would be dropped from Preserving Access.

Dickens and others reportedly offered a compromise, which MHI declined. Consumers and independent industry professionals alike have suffered as a result.

As the MHI member lender told MHProNews, the art of compromise is the essence of political advancement.

Yet, “MHI’s leadership” was unwilling to compromise at all.

To rephrase, and emphasize – per our sources — MHI allegedly misled their own members and the industry at large.

Why?

The likely answer has been supplied by the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR), which tacitly supported Preserving Access, but felt that bill had no chance for passage.

MHARR President and CEO, Mark Weiss, JD, said that every day that DTS isn’t fully and robustly implanted is “a gift” to the Berkshire Hathaway owned lenders.

MHARR tacitly supported Preserving Access, but also privately felt the bill had no chance. Years later, they’ve been proven correct.

The same logic can be applied to S 2155. By creating a burden for competitors, the larger Berkshire Hathaway companies could endure the discomfort, knowing it would cause their industry competitors even more pain.

MHARR has called for a congressional investigation of the DTS matter, and has hinted at other possible steps that they may take. MHI’s failures – whatever the cause or motivation – to get meaningful relief, has resulted in hundreds of once independent retailers and several HUD Code home producers vanishing in a few short years. That fact is demonstrated by MHI’s own data.

Even more state association executives have privately confirmed for the Daily Business News what then MHI Chairman, Tim Williams, said after he took over a conference call. Williams reportedly threatened and pushed reluctant state executives to promote the Preserving Access to Manufactured Housing Act with their state members (see Gold Rules report, linked below along with other resources for more details).

Yet, former MHI Vice President Jason Boehlert said in a formal statement that Preserving Access was unlikely to pass while then President Barack Obama was in the Oval Office. And it was Warren Buffett who supported then POTUS Obama’s reelection effort.

Those numerous and clear disconnects between what MHI claimed, and what Warren Buffett did are so blinding, some fail to see it.

But a growing number are grasping the apparent sham of MHI saying one thing, while Buffett was personally working for the opposite.

The only logical implication is that MHI’s elected and staff leadership were driving the MH Industry at large into years of wasted and costly efforts.

Why?

Publisher L. A. ‘Tony’ Kovach has observed what other voices inside or outside of MHI have said. Berkshire Hathaway owned companies benefit if the Preserving Access bill passes, or not.

Furthermore, the longer more new HUD Code home shipments are diminished, the more retailers and communities sell out for less than their value, or are forced out of business.

That in turn would lead to more closures of the independent HUD Code producers, who once supplied the failed or consolidated independents retailers and communities.

If MHProNews were the only source with these concerns, then one might be more inclined to dismiss it. But several sources inside and outside the industry raise the same or similar concerns. Where there is smoke, there is fire, right?

So while the affordable housing crisis rages, manufactured housing had the brakes put on it. Frank Rolfe, an MHI member, said last year that the industry is its own worst enemy.

It’s a process the fits perfectly with Warren Buffett’s “the Moat” principle, which the two posted videos below confirm. But for someone to really understand the issues Kevin Clayton and Buffett himself raise, they must do what Buffett does. Invest the time to research and read.

What Buffett says in brief about “the Moat” – increasingly seen as a monopolistic plan – Kevin Clayton confirms in detail.

﻿

This is parallel to the reasons why the Nation recently named Buffett as a monopolistic player in industries, including manufactured housing.

The Nation specifically pointed a finger at Clayton Homes, and their Berkshire Hathaway sister companies.

They Win, While a Growing Number of Independent Businesses Lose…

…or is There Another Option?

MHProNews has received multiple contacts from veteran attorneys who believe that an antitrust case could be made, by federal authorities, but also by independent businesses suing under civil antitrust laws that carry triple damages.

Among those attorneys are those who would do the case on contingency.

Meaning, the law firm collects only if they win the case or come to an agreed upon settlement. With many contingency cases, the attorney doesn’t require the normal hourly fee. The reason an attorney does a case on contingency is because they believe they can get more by taking a percentage of a case, then the hourly fee would be. That reduces the risk for the plaintiff, while increasing the drive by the suing law firm.

As the nation is caught in an economic vice that the affordable housing crisis has fueled, manufactured housing is – as MHLivingNews touted years ago – the solution that’s hiding in plain sight.

MHI’s shadow boxing on regulatory issues has stymied and delayed the industry’s recovery. The very professionals who are paid to promote the industry, in this view, have been rewarded for failure to achieve any meaningful regulatory relief.

Given several on-the-record statements by

Clayton Homes CEO, Kevin Clayton,

Tim Williams of 21st Mortgage,

Warren Buffett’s well publicized principles,

and documents obtained by MHProNews on 21st letterhead,

there is mounting evidence which seems to support the allegations that the thousands of industry retailers – and numerous producers – failed or sold out cheap, all while MHI postured ‘advocacy’ on their behalf.

Some believe that the push for S. 2155 compromise now, is precisely because of the ‘heat’ that MHI has been getting from MHProNews coverage of their problematic handling of Preserving Access.

As was reported yesterday, a growing number of the industry’s professionals have taken these MHProNews reports seriously.

While some continue to believe MHI et al, others were in Tunica this week taking practical steps to distance themselves from options linked to Berkshire Hathaway owned brands.

L. A. “Tony” Kovach, photo by Mark Simon, shows Kovach engaging with SAAs in NY. Kovach is the publisher of the industry’s two largest and most popular trade media, MHLivingNews.com and MHProNews.com.

“The pattern seems to be this. MHI takes the wrong position on an issue, and only after extended pressure, do they finally relent and pivot to the more logical stance for industry independents. So there is no glory for them in finally taking a correct step, after months or years of allegedly bad ones.

Meanwhile, the majority of the industry’s independent members have suffered. Some have sold out for less than the true value of their business, or lost their once successful businesses altogether. No wonder law firms are interested in working a legal action against this sort of behavior on contingency.” Tony Kovach said.

While MHProNews naturally values on-the-record comments, such off the record insights from the lender noted above can be invaluable for the industry’s independents.

The concept can be digested in minutes.

But to fully digest the nuances of what is taking place, one must do as Warren Buffett himself does: it may take a few hours of reading for all of the facts to be fully understood.

Clickhere to sign up in 5 seconds for the manufactured home industry’s leading – and still growing – emailed headline news updates. You’ll see in the first issue or two why big, medium and ‘mom-and-pop’ professionals are reading these headline news items by the thousands. These are typically delivered twice weekly to your in box.

Reports are that registrations and attendance was up at Tunica over last year’s event.

Exhibitors in the events center – and those who displayed new factory built homes – reported good traffic, happy attendees, and solid results.

What was conspicuously missing in Tunica this year was the presence of Berkshire Hathaway owned Clayton Homes, and the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI).

There were good reasons to hold this report until after the event concluded, to make sure that our Daily Business News reporting would not impact turnout, which discerning minds should grasp.

Inside Word, from the South Central Show…

Per show sources to MHProNews, Clayton Homes’ Keith Holdbrooks communicated the decision months ago that Clayton would not be participating in this year’s Tunica Show trade event.

There are more details, but those are being held to protect some of the sources for the allegation that Clayton is trying to – quoting – “kill off the Tunica Manufactured Housing Show.”

Those reports from informed sources that Clayton was working to – again, quoting another source – “kill off the Tunica Show” began over a year ago, when Clayton scaled back their presence at Tunica in 2017.

Reports last year – and again in 2018 – told the Daily Business News that a similar pattern was followed by Clayton Homes at the now defunct North Carolina manufactured home trade show.

Clayton reportedly expressed a different set of reasons than a desire to kill the Tunica Show off to explain their decision to pull their support from the South Central Manufactured Housing Institute (SCMHI) annual trade event.

MHProNews will continue to monitor such issues, which a variety of sources allege are part of a broader plan by Clayton to increase Berkshire Hathaway’s dominance over the manufactured housing industry. ## (News, analysis and commentary.)

Clickhere to sign up in 5 seconds for the manufactured home industry’s leading – and still growing – emailed headline news updates. You’ll see in the first issue or two why big, medium and ‘mom-and-pop’ professionals are reading these headline news items by the thousands. These are typically delivered twice weekly to your in box.

The Tennessee Fire Marshal’s story about manufactured housing and fire dangers was number 2 today on a Google search this morning, but was a top linked search result at one point last week.

The Daily Business News reached out to some of the media that picked up that Fire Marshal’s release.

Per a top management source at one of those news outlets contacted, when asked if the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI), or others in manufactured housing (for example, the Tennessee Manufactured Housing Association, or Clayton Homes, as this is their home state) contacted them about this news item, what did that news media’s management source tell MHProNews?

This pro-active outreach by MHProNews is how we broke the story on tornado deaths and mobile homes, or last year on the Michigan State University (MSU) tornado death story, to mention just two examples.

Urban Institute and Manufactured Housing

When the Urban Institute (UI) issued their report, they cited three reasons for manufactured housing sales to be as low as they are today. After acknowledging that “manufactured homes could easethe affordable housing crisis. So why are so few being made?”quoting the UI report:

“Yet the number of manufactured units shipped remains low for three reasons.

Restrictive zoning…

Restrictive or unavailable financing…

Lower appreciation…”

Why didn’t their research mention the impact of negative news media on the industry’s sales? Arguably, it is implied in their point #1. But it isn’t mentioned, much less a separate 4th, point.

How is that possible, for serious researchers? When MHLivingNews, MHProNews, and several mainstream media sources have hit that very theme as harming manufactured housing acceptance, and thus sales?

MHI told the industry that media engagement would be part of their plan for their public relations professional. MHI’s problematic advertorials and lightly viewed YouTube videos clearly haven’t moved the new manufactured home shipments needle.

MHProNews’ publisher – at an MHI event – explained the necessity for media engagement, which includes correcting the record on negative or problematic reports or stories.

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